China

Applications for LE China open November 1, 2018!

Tentative Dates: July 8, 2019 - August 11, 2019

Orientation:

July 8-12

Midpoint Break:

July 26-28

Closing:

August 11

Quick Facts

Location: Jiangsu Province

Language Requirement: None

Setting: Both rural and urban living conditions

Duration: 5 weeks

Volunteers: 12-15

Living Conditions: Varies but mostly modern

PROGRAM INFORMATION

Volunteering with Learning Enterprises is an intense, rewarding, and potentially life-changing experience. Your trip begins in Shanghai, where you will meet with the other international volunteers and begin training on how to operate a classroom. Volunteers will also have the opportunity to explore the city, settle administrative matters (exchanging currency, cellphones etc.) and recover from jet lag over the course of the orientation week.

Note: The LE China program is unique among the LE programs because you will be living and working with Chinese living and teaching partners from Nanjing University.

We will then take the bullet train to Nanjing where we will meet the Nanjing University students who will be our Teaching Partners and Living Partners. In Nanjing, you will also be able to tour the city and see where the Chinese volunteers attend university. The formal in-country training will also begin with volunteers and Teaching Partners working together to brainstorm curricula and lesson plans.

From there, we will take the train to a small city (location TBA), where we will separate into our respective villages. There will be approximately four to five volunteers per village. All volunteers will meet again for a midpoint trip two weeks into the program. After the program, volunteers can travel with other volunteers or return home.

THE IDEAL VOLUNTEER

Energetic, enthusiastic, and patient!

Creative and has the ability to think outside the box

Has a strong interest in meeting new people, embracing a new culture, and is excited to teach English

Responsible and reliable. The program starts from the moment of acceptance.

Committed to the LE mission of expanding horizons through global volunteerism.

Open-minded, adaptable, and optimistic

HOST COMMUNITY

You will be living in a traditional Chinese village, meaning your living conditions may include squat toilets and little to no running water. However, some villages and homes are more modern, with indoor plumbing and air-conditioning.Your home in China will most likely include your host parents, grandparents, and a host sibling. it is possible to be a vegetarian in China, it may be hard to explain to your host family why you refuse to eat meat that they may have bought for you. Also, a lot of vegetables they cook are usually stewed in a meat sauce. Host families will nevertheless try to accommodate your dietary needs.

Many host families will have never had the opportunity to interact with Westerners; this will be just as exciting of an experience for them as it is for you. Expect your host family to want to take you places around the countryside and help you accommodate to village life. Your Nanjing University Living Partner, who will be generally competent in English, will share in your experience and interpret for you. Volunteers must keep in mind that they are personal guests, and should behave accordingly. Your village will be small and you will likely be able to walk everywhere.

You will have plenty of free time to get to know your host family, your village, its scenery and surroundings. Chinese food is comprised of very diverse flavors. A willingness to try new food is highly encouraged. In lower-income families of China it is common to eat the same dishes multiple times in the day and throughout the week. Just like anywhere else, Chinese social etiquette and customs can be nuanced and complex for foreigners to fully understand. Polite respectfulness as well as a willingness to be open-minded are essential for LE China volunteers.

TEACHING

Teaching English is the focus of Learning Enterprises. You and your Teaching Partner will team up and teach an average of 30 to 40 students at the local school for 4 hours a day; bigger classes may be split in half for two 2 hour sessions instead of one 4 hour session. Your Teaching Partner will help with translations and help you direct your students. This is an invaluable experience, and one that distinguishes the China program from other LE programs as your Teaching Partner may very well become your best friend while in China.

Classes are divided by skill level and will range from beginner to advanced knowledge of English. Students' ages will also range from 6 to 18 years old. Most students will be used to textbook learning and will be eager to learn from a native English speaker. LE encourages lesson plans to be interactive and fun, and oral communication should be emphasized as much as possible. Musical chairs and class sing-alongs are some great ways to engage your students. Basic teaching supplies like chalk will be available; however, you can buy other classroom supplies in-country. We recommend bringing small prizes like stickers, pictures, American candy, or small souvenirs from the US, as students will be curious about where you come from and will appreciate your bringing items from home.

Some Awesome Things About China!

Northern China is known for their blueberries. They have a whole festival at the end of July.

Nail appointments cost no more than $10

Barbeque restaurants in China will skin the dead animal in front of the crowd before cooking

NEVER PAY FOR ANYTHING FULL PRICE, you can always and I mean always negotiate the price

Because social media for the most part is banned China, they use WeChat for everything. It’s their facebook, twitter, instagram, and cashapp!

MEET YOUR PROGRAM DIRECTOR, NOAH!

Noah Mourning is a rising senior at Howard University studying Media Management. In the near future, he hopes to become a successful hairstylist as well as beauty and style guru and own his own model/glam squad agency. In his free time, he loves listening to music, dying his hair, traveling, working out, reading motivational/self help books, and he is an avid eater. He has been taking Chinese courses since he was a freshman in high school and hopes to eventually become fluent in the language. He feels beyond blessed to embark on a second round of cultural immersion while giving back to the communities that will soon surround him again.